Kinston to D.C.

North Raleigh Christian Academy guard Jalen Jones, originally from Kinston, is seen signing with Howard University basketball in Raleigh.

Submitted

By Jessika Morgan / Sports Editor

Published: Monday, May 12, 2014 at 07:18 PM.

Jalen Jones is a young man with a plan.

After transferring from Kinston High School to play basketball at North Raleigh Christian Academy in order to attract more exposure, he earned the Knights’ MVP award, All-Conference honors and an All-Star game selection. But his success is all in the name of making his family proud.

His fruitful prep career over the last two years at North Raleigh (12-13) landed him several scholarship offers, and the 6-foot-4 guard selected Howard University last week.

“Howard just felt like home,” Jones said. “As soon as I stepped on campus, it just felt like home. It was a good situation for me.”

Although he attends school in Raleigh, Jones said he regularly returns to Kinston. While preparing to play ball nearly four hours away in Washington, D.C., he feels his remote family support will help him endure the separation.

After transferring from Kinston High School to play basketball at North Raleigh Christian Academy in order to attract more exposure, he earned the Knights’ MVP award, All-Conference honors and an All-Star game selection. But his success is all in the name of making his family proud.

His fruitful prep career over the last two years at North Raleigh (12-13) landed him several scholarship offers, and the 6-foot-4 guard selected Howard University last week.

“Howard just felt like home,” Jones said. “As soon as I stepped on campus, it just felt like home. It was a good situation for me.”

Although he attends school in Raleigh, Jones said he regularly returns to Kinston. While preparing to play ball nearly four hours away in Washington, D.C., he feels his remote family support will help him endure the separation.

Besides, that’s who he does it for.

“(I) just want to see my family happy,” said Jones, who averaged 21 points his senior year at NRCA. “My family and a lot of people believe in me. My mom and my dad support me a lot, and just making them happy motivates me every day.”

Jones started playing basketball when he was 4-years old, introduced to the sport by his uncle and coach Christopher Bradshaw. He dabbled with other sports but stuck with basketball.

Bradshaw has witnessed Jones’ game improve tremendously over the years.

“I’ve seen his skills get better from being a 4-year old out in the yard to just getting up at five in the morning trying to strive to get better,” Bradshaw said about Jones. “He came back (to Kinston one day) and I saw him in the gym at Teacher’s Memorial. I started seeing things I’ve never seen him do on a basketball court, and I knew right then he could do whatever he wanted to do.”

Jones’ works hard off the court as well, having been an A-student since he transferred from Kinston. He even said he looks to earn All-Academic honors during his first season at Howard, one where he looks to make an immediate impact.

The Bison, of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, finished 8-25 last season. HU runs a fast-paced offense into which Jones feels he can blend.

“I think I can fit in getting on the wing, attacking and penetrating the style of offense they play,” he said. “I feel I can go in there and make a major impact right away, and that’s one of the reasons why I chose it.”

The senior is also looking forward to the black college experience, realizing he may “witness a lot of crazy things” but is prepared for the experience, preparation he attributes to both Kinston and North Raleigh.

“Academically, I want to achieve the best I can get,” Jones said of his upcoming journey. “As far as basketball, I want to go in and be Rookie of the Year in the conference. That’s something I really want to do: be a top freshman in the country.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.